FFRF announces memorial award on third anniversary of Avijit Roy's assassination
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to announce, on the third anniversary of the assassination of Avijit Roy, the creation of an annual award in his name. Roy, the Bangladesh-American writer and atheist, died at the hands of militant Islamists on the streets of Dhaka.
Remembering the life and legacy of Avijit Roy
A software engineer by profession and a writer by passion Avijit Roy(1972-2015) was a leading Bangladeshi-American human rights activist, author and a pioneer in Bengali free-thought movement. In 2001, Avijit launched a virtual discussion group of freethinkers of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent. This small discussion group would eventually lead to the inception of the first secular humanist website in the Bengali language, called 'Mukto-mona.' The literal English translation of 'Mukto-Mona' is 'Free-thinker.' As an Internet congregation of freethinkers, rationalists, skeptics, atheists & humanists Mukto-Mona gave a platform for the secular ethos of Bangladeshi culture to be reinvigorated. In an interview with a daily newspaper, Avijit described his organization's aspirations by the following lines,
Write on Your Journey to Enlightenment in Celebration of September 12, Avijit Roy's Birthday
September 12, 2015, is the 44th birthday of Avijit Roy, the secular, humanist writer. Before he was murdered by Islamists this February, the founder of the Mutko-Mona platform Avijit Roy was involved in furthering many issues including science, free thought, humanism, and literature. He not only wrote online, he also introduced the free thought movement in Bangladesh to the international arena. Avijit Roy wrote and edited ten books in Bengali. He was, and will remain, a true friend to freethinkers, and liberals everywhere.
Happy Blasphemy Day, Happy Birthday 'Mukto Mona
I wrote a piece in Bengali on Blasphemy day, 2013. I could not find time earlier to post this in English blog. Here it is:
